Where Are Thunderbird Emails Stored?

Thunderbird is one of many tools you can use to manage your emails but where are they stored? How do I retrieve them and what should I know before doing so? In this article I will cover the main storage options, where the messages are stored and how to access them.

Thunderbird's emails are stored in a different location other than in program files. Thunderbird's primary storage is in profiles. Your emails will be stored in a group of files known as the profile. While using Thunderbird, you can have more than one profile to store your data.

You are free to customize your storage according to your preference. If you just need to keep things simple, it is still okay to use the default settings, which allow for a single profile. After installing Thunderbird, this email client will automatically create the first profile and call it "default." This is the profile that Thunderbird will use in case you don't make modifications to your profile, manage to create another profile.

Understanding Thunderbird’s Profiles

As stated, above Thunderbird does not store email in program files but in profiles. Let’s now understand what this profile is all about. To make storage simpler, Thunderbird has to keep two different sets in the profile.

• To begin with, Thunderbird stores your mail and other messages residing on the server.
• The second set involves the storage of changes made while running Thunderbird. Some of the changes may include the modifications you make on your setting on the toolbar.

Know that you know that a profile stores your emails and setting, the next concern you may have is where this profile is stored.

Profile Storage

The advantage of this storage is that you don't have to lose your data just because you uninstalled the email client. This is the benefit you get because we don't store data in program files.Your profiles are stored separately, making it possible for you to even keep your important settings.

You do not need to worry about losing messages if you happen to face challenges when updating your old version of Thunderbird. These are helpful features, especially when troubleshooting an issue in Thunderbird.

Every profile you create will be on the hard drive. The folder's location will depend on your operating system. It will also depend on whether you selected another location when creating your profile.

How to use Multiple Profiles?

The steps below will guide you on how to create and rename the profiles you create to store your emails:

• Start your Profile Manager by opening the Run dialog (Windows +R)
• Type "thunderbird.exe -p" and select OK. If this doesn’t open the Profile Manager, you may need to close Thunderbird and restart your computer.
  
• Click "create profile."
  o    Type in the name of your profile
  o    You may have to specify the location you prefer for your profile folder before clicking “Finish.”
  
• To rename a profile;
  o    Highlight the given profile under "Choose User Profile."
  o    Select “Rename Profile”
  o    Type in the New name
  o    Click OK

After understanding how your emails are stored in profiles, you may also want to find your profile's location.

Finding your profile

Here are steps you can follow to locate your profile:

1. Click the menu bar.
2. Click “Troubleshooting information.” You will access this from the help menu.
3. The application basics option will open, and you can now click on the "Open Folder."
4. From the pop-up window, you will see the path and the name of your profile.

You don’t have to open Thunderbird to access your profiles.

You can find the profile as follows.

• Press Windows + R.
• Form the Run dialog, type "%APPDATA%ThunderbirdProfiles" as shown on the image below, and click OK.
• Open your profile folder from the open window.
  

Thunderbird stores your email and other settings in profiles. You can use one or multiple emails as you prefer.

Summary: Where are thunderbird emails stored?

• Thunderbird stores your emails in your local computer's hard drive.
• Before you can access them, you'll have to move them to another format.
• To do this, simply copy them to a flash drive or external hard drive.
• You may also want to consider moving them to an online email provider like Gmail or Yahoo Mail.
• Thunderbird makes all sorts of backups of your emails automatically, so you don't have to worry about losing them.
• If you ever lose your email account username or password and need it again, just open Thunderbird, click on the File menu, select Import and Export and then click on Restore Messages... This will help restore all of your old emails.
• To import your emails from another email client, use the File menu and select Import and Export... Then click on Import Messages... And follow the instructions presented on screen to find your archive file.
• You can also use the File menu to export saved messages as HTML or text files (for archiving purposes or sharing with others) or in a number of other formats.
• Your archived emails are safe and easy to access.

Conclusion

There you have it. By following the steps above, you will easily retrieve your emails that stored in Thunderbird.